Hyatt Regency New Orleans donates $300,000, plans gala for Brad Pitt's Make It Right project

Officials with the Hyatt Regency New Orleans on Tuesday pledged $300,000 to help build two homes through actor Brad Pitt's Make It Right program and announced that the hotel will host a gala in March 2012 to help the initiative reach its goal of constructing 150 environmentally friendly houses in the Lower 9th Ward.

Rusty Costana, The Times-PicayuneActor Brad Pitt's Make It Right project has constructed eco-friendly houses that include solar panels in the Lower 9th Ward for homeowners who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.

"After Hurricane Katrina, many people said the Lower 9th Ward could not be rebuilt, but the spirit of the Lower Ninth and its residents is vibrant and resilient," Pitt said in a prepared statement. "Today, the neighborhood is growing and alive with new homes, playgrounds, gardens and block parties.

"With the help of generous partners like Hyatt, Make It Right will fulfill our goal of building 150 sustainable homes for those in this community who lost everything in the storm," he said.

In unveiling the commitments, executives of the still-shuttered hotel next to the Superdome, along with officials from Make It Right and Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration, pitched in to improve landscaping at a playground near the Make It Right site, organizers said.

Dubbed "one of the most technically advanced 'eco-playgrounds' in the country," the playground's equipment is made from sustainable and recyclable materials, and the yard includes a solar-powered computer that operates digital games that encourage physical activity.

The Hyatt, which is scheduled to reopen Oct. 19 after a $275 million repair and redesign, became an iconic image of Katrina's destruction as photos of its scores of its shattered windows circulated worldwide. Next year's gala is part of the Hyatt Thrive philanthropy program, officials said, adding that the global hotel giant will cover production costs and donate proceeds from sponsors and ticket sales.

The event is expected to "celebrate the culinary and cultural traditions of New Orleans," and feature "major entertainers, government officials, business leaders and philanthropists who have played a key role in Make It Right's rebuilding efforts," according to a news release. Further details were not provided.

"Through our relationship with Make It Right, we continue to solidify our commitment to the people of New Orleans," hotel general manager Michael Smith said in prepared statement. "We are proud to toast our milestone reopening by hosting one of the most noteworthy events to date in the effort to raise funds for the rebuilding of New Orleans."